In communities across the United States and Ireland, our City Connects teams are doing more than connecting students to vital services and enrichment opportunities: they’re building a village of support for families. Whether it’s being that familiar face at drop-off and pick-up, making sure students feel seen and celebrated, or connecting students to programs where they can meet new friends, Coordinators and Program Managers work tirelessly to help build a community for all their students and families.
With the blog on summer vacation, this week we’re sharing past posts about how City Connects helps foster the village every family needs.
Finding a Village: City Connects Coordinators Support Students with Disabilities and their Families
March 27, 2026
City Connects Coordinators Sarah Marzano and Antonio Martinez go above and beyond to provide a village for students and families at the Shore Educational Collaborative in Chelsea, Massachusetts—a school known for its specialized programs for students with disabilities.
“I’m there at arrival, I’m there at dismissal, I’m going in and out of the classrooms, I’m helping out at the basketball games. We really are able to insert ourselves into the culture and into the classroom. I know every kids’ name and worked to develop a connection. Just knowing something about every kid— those small things make such a big impact. The same goes for caregivers, checking in to see how their doctor’s appointment was or just listening while they vent can make a difference,” Marzano said.
Martinez spends his days assisting his families as they work to attain the services and support they need from the Department of Developmental Services and coverage from MassHealth and Social Security. He helps ensure families know their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and helps them find inclusive programs where they can feel comfortable and supported in their community. On weekends he runs groups for caregivers of students with disabilities.
“A lot of parents still carry that fear and stigma, that the community is not ready for their child,” Martinez said. “The groups give parents the opportunity to see me in a different light. Not as a social worker from school or authority figure, but as someone who is there for them.”
Vibrancy of Springfield Community Celebrated During Hispanic Heritage Month
October 17, 2025
On a warm Sunday in September, thousands filled Main Street in Springfield, MA for the city’s 35th annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. Marching proudly alongside the Freedman Elementary School community were City Connects Program Manager Stephanie Sanabria and City Connects Coordinator Dionisio Perez.
The parade kicked off a slew of Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in Springfield, where nearly 70 percent of students are Hispanic or Latino. The City Connects team, which supports 40 schools in Springfield, spent the month shining a light on the many Spanish-speaking cultures that make the Springfield community so vibrant. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations are an important example of the City Connects model of Integrated Student Support, an approach that centers and taps into the strengths of each community.
“It’s about celebrating the strengths of our community, of our students, of our families. But it isn’t confined to a month. This month highlights the important work we need to do to celebrate and support families throughout the year,” said Sanabria.
As part of the month’s celebrations, some schools brought in local dance and music group Bomba de Aquí to perform and teach Afro-Puerto Rican traditions while others hosted their own Hispanic Heritage Parades in school. Sanabria herself visited schools to teach Zumba classes, each with a special focus on a different Spanish-speaking culture.
“For us to acknowledge the vibrancy of the cultures that exist here is so important. These might be some scary times but we want our students and families to know that we see you, we acknowledge you, and we want to celebrate you,” Sanabria said.
Riding to Resiliency: Biking Program Builds Confidence for Girls in Dedham
May 21, 2026
This spring in Dedham, Massachusetts, a group of girls learned to tackle the challenges of biking while building the skills they need to tackle the challenges of life.
When Dedham’s City Connects Program Manager Ali Lukoff heard about a program called Girls in Gear from her City Connects colleagues, she knew it would be perfect for students in her community. Lukoff brought the idea to district leaders, who were able to find funding to bring Girls in Gear to Dedham’s Early Childhood Education Center. Once a week, a group of 10 girls in Pre-K and Kindergarten learned about safe riding skills, emotional development, and building friendships.
“It’s wonderful because they not only learn a skill that can really benefit them later in life—being able to move and access different things through biking—but it also builds resiliency in kids. They learn that if something is hard, they keep trying, because they can succeed. It’s great to teach that at a young age,” Lukoff said.
Girls in Gear is a program that works with girls of all ages and abilities across the nation, using a comprehensive, age-appropriate curriculum that aims to help girls build a foundation of lifelong physical and emotional wellness.
